On this page

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

Untitled Article

Hussars of the Guard , and by the Racletzky Regiment of Hussars formerly stationed at Odessa , From , this it would seem that Gontsehakoff does not suffer from want of provisions . Large bodies of troops are being marched from the Crimea into Bessarabia ; but their places will we filled by other troops from the reserve , and by the militia . General Gortsehakoff , it is said , will be replaced in the Crimea by Count Osten-Saeken , and the former will resume the command of the troops on the Danube . The allied gunboats which remained at Kmburn have been frozen in .

The fortunes of the Russians seem to be looking up a little . Their success at Kars has been followed by a trifling victory near Kerteh , in . the vicinity of which , on the 16 th of December , two sotnias of Cossacks of the Black Sea defeated a squadron of General Vivian's Anglo-Turkish cavalry . The commander of the squadron ( an English officer ) ana forty-seven men were made prisoners . Such is the Russian account . The Czar ' s troops in the Crimea have been reinforced by a regiment of

Notwithstanding the continued efforts for peace on the part of Austria , it is quite certain that Russia is making gigantic efforts to carry on the war . The Czar has ordered a fresh appeal to be issued , summoning the peasants of the Crown domains to form fresh regiments of sharpshooter ^ to bear the name of the Imperial family . The Ministry of War has advertised for tenders for the

supply of one hundred am ! thirty-nine complete mortar-carriages , and fittings for an immense number of others . All are to be delivered early in the spring . 5 , 280 cwts . of ordnance are to " delivered at Archangel , and the arsenal is ready to contract for the delivery of 200 , 0001 bs . of Russian lead . Similar advertisements are appearing daily in the Gazette .

In order to conciliate the Poles , the Government has authorized a commutation of the rohat ( compulsory services of the peasants on the lords' demesne , payments in kind , &c ) , terminable in three years . An imperial ukase orders a new coinage of copper to the amount of three millions of silver roubles , to be commenced as soou as the issue previously ordered shall have been completed , and ,

in . conformity with a new ukase , the non-commissioned officers of the navy , who , in consequence of their wounds , can no longer serve on board the fleet , will be employed in the batteries destined to defend the coasts of the Baltic in the approaching campaign . The defence of Cronstadt is confided to Prince Menschikoff , who is created . Military Governor .

Omar Pacha has retreated , and , according- to some accounts , has returned to Souchum-Kaleh , renouncing his intention to attack Kutais . The Journal de Constantinople states that , on the 5 th of December , Omar ' s army was encamped on tin ' s side of the river Siva , and that its advance was rendered impossible by the overflowing of tbat river . This was its position in the middle of last November ; but , whether or not the Turkish General ever advanced beyond that spot , it seems improbable that he will at present venture to come into contact with the victorious Muscovites . Ilia

alleged retreat is said to have been caused by a proclamation of General MouraviefF , calling the entire population of Imcrctia , Guricl , and Mingrelia , to wage a war of extermination against " the enemies of tlie Cross . " Some speculations on " the present position of Omar Pacha are contained in the Vienna Military Gazette , where we read : — " It is probably no longer doubted by any ono that our correspondent « t Trebizond was well informed when he wrote that Omar Pacha had not for weeks lost eight of tbe Politic oonst , and that ho had not aclvancod further than tho small town of Chopi , ou

Pacha ' s service . It is possible that a re-embarkation of the troops is to be made . " Muataj&a Pacha bas , in a similar way , retreated to Batouin , in order to pass the winter in that unhealthy coast * station . As we cannot suppose Omar Pacha means to persist in wintering where he is at present , seeiug that he is exposed to the danger of being attacked by the Russians , and unable to make *» pr great , resistance , Anaklea and Redout KaJsfti being * , only small forts , it is highly probable th&fc the ^ ntiM Turkish ) army will be brought to the

Ifcoumejian harbpurs , and stationed there in winter quarters . The Russians too will do do more tlian garrison Kai « , and will not advance ou the offensive in the wide radius between the Western and the Eastern Euphrates . General MouravieffLas detached oue division to Aehalkalak and Ackalzik , whilst another division lias escorted the captured garrison of Kai : & to Tiflis . The Pachas , and a few superior officers , will be tsransfex ' red to Moscow ; the remaining officers , with the men , will probably have to yas * the winter in the government of Tiflis . "

From Erzeroum , intelligence is contradictory- It is said that many persons have abandoned the city in the fear of a Russiau attack , and have taken refuge at Trebizond ; but the Journal de Constantinople affirms that the garrison of Erzeroum amounts to 16 , 000 men , and that the Egyptian contingent will raise that number to 27 , 000 , while other corps sent there from different points will place the Turkish forces at 35 , 000 men . Another authority states that Erzeroum is abundantly supplied with provisions , and possesses an excellent artillery .

As a reproof to the idea of peace being at all probable or even desirable , the Siecle has been blowing a tremendous war-trumpet , and , strange to say , chiefly as regards England . There can be no repose for England , says the Paris journal , until the utter destruction of Cronstadt , and of the Baltic fleet be effected . When people talk about peace , the Siecle simply points to the Baltic It is no time , says the writer , to talk about tlie s » fetv

of the English empire in India : England herself may be imperilled . The Baltic menaces England ; and " peace will not and cannot be made so long as there exist , within a few hundred leagues of London , fortresses reputed impregnable , which can send out fleets as numerous as those of France un . d England put together . " But the English nation has seen the danger , and exclaims , " War , war to the end ! war for ' our Salvation !"

Such is the trumpet-note of the Sie ' cle . That the estimate of the Russian Baltic fleet is greatly exaggerated there can be no doubt ; for why did not this overwhelming armament forcibly raise the blockade ? But that Russia is vigorous * and energetic in north and south , east and west , is very evident ; and England and France will have to look narrowly to the future .

CAMP GOSSIP . This will be a joyous Christinas , as fur aa it cau be away from friends and home . Solitary subalterns ride out to Miskomia , aud gaze gloomily on the beautiful mistletoe which grows on all the wild pear aud apple trees in these lovely valleys , but their conteutmeut returns when th « y think of the fat goose who , tied by tho log , is awaiting his doom by tho kitchen tent or bakehouse , or of the tender pig , who has boon reared up from his childhood for the solo object of doing honour to the corning feast , and who is "just fit to be killed . " Already contrasts are drawn between dinners iu the trenches , on dreary outposts , on remote cruards

and pickets last year , and the luxuries which ure forthcoming for the grand English festival . Men remember "that tough old turkey , which oast 40 a ., and that turned the edge of the carver liko plate gloss , " and laugh over tho fate which soomod somehow to attend most efforts to be jolly last Chriatmaa , and thon turn and look round their huts , which arc generally , it rauBt bo confessed , -very like retail grocers' establishments , backwood stores , or canteenmon ' a magazines ; tho shelves which arc placed along tho walls in layers , tho cupboards made of pvokingcftsos or powder-boxes , aro filled with pates in . Str isburg ware , hams , tins of soups and lKOHerves , mnrti :

dishes , vegetables , long-necked bottles of French manufacture ., and tho stumpier sturdier work of the English glaesblower . There is a stove or some nubotituto for a fireplace in each hut , and it ulwuyn onjoyn tho advantage of a famous draught from tho door and walls . As to tho latter , tho onYbellishmontH upon them wile away many un idle hour , and afford opportunities for the oxorciBQ of taste , good and bad , tho monuments of which must pQriah with the spring . They ooneist chiefly of illustrations from tho pictorial paperw of Punch , which arc transposed ingeniously by the introduction of faoeB , figures , and bits out of different engrATings , with tho view of giving them a ludicrous or whimsical character , and tho result is

the right bank of tho little river bearing tho same name . Skondor Pacha , it is true-, advanced along tho excellent road that runs to Abasha , but did not venture further than Tchonitzeiitilo * . Ho only did thia for the purpose of nsoortitinisig whether or no tho Rusnians , under tho oonunaud of General Bagration Muharski , aud reinforced , by tho troops of General Brunnor , lind taken up a position in Lovano and

Kutyri ou the left bank of that river . Having < lone thin , Omar Pacha decided on retreating to Redoubt Kaloh and Anaklai . It having at tbe same time beoome known that tho Russian commander intended Bonding to Mingrelia all tho troops collected iu tho fluvial ditttriotH of tho mountains near Oori , ho that they may act on tho oflanmv « , tho Turkish Admiral , Ahmet Pftoha , received orders to plaoo all tho disposable Turkish and Egyptian steamers at Omar

Untitled Article

2 THE LEADER , [ No 302 , Saturdat _

Untitled Article

they have come to it by degrees , sinc « it saved that counter-burst of indignation , which we apprehended . President Pierck had issued a proclamation , warniag the citizens that they would be outlawed should they join the buccaneering expedition which General Walker is understood to be leadingupon Nicaragua from the West . " We do not understand the relation of that ady 4 iBturous leader with Colonel Kinnev ,. who is i& > i ^ sidence and in agitation among the fcjbsquito people . The real

difference between them appears to be simply a geographical distinction . Walker operates from the West —KrNNEYinoperates from the East j but both evidently have it in design to convert Nicaragua Into a Texas , with ultimate Yankee objects ?^ The true assistant in that design has been our Government , which , instead of maintaining frank and cordial relations with the Government of the United States , lias placed itself in a position that

renders English and Americans almost necessarily antagonistic in that quarter . Both English and Nicaraguans had already become antagonistic . Thus in Nicaragua , England appears the encroacliing state , while the restraint that might be placed upon the annexationists from Washington , is enfeebled by the fact that the English Government has rendered itself anti-American . The English in Nicaragua , therefore , appear to be fighting at once the Nicaraguans and Americans .

The last published accounts of the revenue are satisfactory , according to the orthodox view of such tables , but according to no other view . They show that i-evenue does not keep pace with expenditure . We had succeeded in extracting for the year 1854 arewnue of , € 56 , 000 , 000 ; for 1855 , ^ 64 , 000 , 000 j besides that , we spent last year .= £ 16 , 000 , 000 on loans , altogether , ^ 80 , 000 , 000 , and yet it is understood the expenditure is still greater . The satisfactory view is derived from the circumstance that there is an increase on the year of ^ 8 , 130 , 000 ; if there is a deficiency of . ^ 3 , 800 , 000 , the question is , ujrhat has been done for all that naoney ? There has been no stinting ; but , has the money ' s worth been got ?

Poisoning cases are becoming common , but none rival . 3 in interest the Rugeley case , whichappears to be complicated with other crimes by the same hand . Coroners are inquiring into the deaths of Walter and Mary Palmer , the brother and wife of the sporting surgeon , who now lies in Stafford gaol Insurance offices are withholding sums payable on policies taken out by Palmer ; and the detective police have hunted up the strange story of " George Bates , Esq ., " on whose life Palmer had proposed to effect an insurance . There has been no > death in that particular case , and yet the tale is one of the

most revolting in its suggestions . Inspector Tield goes down to Itugeley in search of George Bat es , Esq ., whose life William Palmer had proposed to insure for a large sura . The Insurance officers had become curious to know for what purpose William Palmer insured the life of that particular gentleman . Everybody knows the principle of insuring a life ; this power of purchasing a future advantage , subject to a chance , has suggested a very economical form of saving—such is the insurance premium . But it may also be converted into a form of gambling . Stipulate with some Insurance office

tliat you are to have a given sum on the death , say , of your sister ; pay the money for a few quarters ; let the sister die , and you gain immensely by tlie transaction . That was the principle of the now illustrious Wain ^ right . The case , no doubt , supplied the hint for the Insurance office , and Inspector Field was sent down to inquire about ' * George Bates , Esq ., a gcntloman of property , with a good wine-cellar 1 " "George Bates , Esq ., " was discovered in the act of cleaning out Pa-lmer's stables ! He had beard something of

Mr . Palmrk ' s intention to insure his life , and probably thought — simple man ! — that his life would bo tl \ c surer for the operation ; besides , he was to have so me money for himself , and so he " had left it all to Mr . Palmer . " Perhaps tlie social history of this country never presented to us a more curious picture than tfmt of Inspector Field surveying the healthy countenance of " George Bates , Esq ., " whilst he— honest man !—was telling how he " left all that to- Mr . Paumkk , " - quite unconscious of the fate which hie London visitor could so distinctly truce out for him .